Texans can now get paid for supporting the grid with their solar panels and batteries as part of a new virtual power plant pilot project.

What happens next could lead to rapid deployment of resilient and clean distributed energy resources across the state.

But realizing that potential won't be easy. One of the biggest hurdles is customer engagement.  

Octopus Energy US CEO Michael Lee joined the Texas Power Podcast from Renewable Energy World to discuss his extensive background in energy, his company's participation in the VPP pilot, and his vision for bringing the benefits of distributed energy to the masses.